Toy animal



June 3, 1930. E. s. MooNEY 1,761,143

TOY 'ANIMAL Filed Jan. 2, 1929 liatentecl .lune 3, 19,3(1)

STA-TES vPgA'lfE-NT ,'.Fiuesf ERNEST S. MOONEY, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNA, INCOMPETENT, BY LOS ANGELES FIRST NA'IONAL TRUST 4AND`SAVINGS BANK, GUARDIAN, 0F LOS ANGELES, GALI- FORNIA '.roY ANIMALApplication led January 2, 1929.` Serial No. 329,855.

Y This invention relates to toys and more particularly to toy animals ofthe type having wheels and requiring to be steered, the presentimprovement being especially associated with the steering mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide novel and attractive featuresin the -toy from the standpoint of a child, to provide a simple,inexpensive and eliieient steering mech- 0 anism, and to impartinteresting movements to the toy suggestive of the animal representedthereby. Y

Primarily the invention resides in an animal body having a head, a Wheelto be steered, a steering post extending to said head, and

laterally disposed steering arms connectedl with the post and preferablyextending intov slots representing the mouth. According to one form thearms are connected with opposing resilient elements which serve tobalance each other and to tend to maintain the steering wheel instraight-ahead position or to return it to such position.

The improvement also includes movable ears or like members, theconnections simulatinga bridle and being connected with said ears tomove the latter when the device is put through steering movements, andin the preferred form the resilient elements also have connections withsaid ears in such Amanner that the ears tend to be returned to normalposition when the steering mechanism is returned. The invention residesalso in such other novel features-of construction and combinations ofparts as maybe elsewhere herein set forth.

In the accompanying 4drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention isshown merely by way of illustration;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hobby horse equipped with the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the head.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional. detail through the head on line 4-4 ofFig. 3.

The body 10 of the toy animal or hobby horse is provided with a head10', while the rear legs are equipped with wheels 12 and the front legswith a steering wheel 14, the

device being adapted to be propelled by the -of connection with straps38.

rllhe uppermost portion of the post 22 is split longitudinally toprovide slots 22 in which is fixed a twisted cross bar 30 which projectslaterally through and works in slots 32 representing the horses mouth,the bar 30 thereby indicating a bit. rlhe ends of the projecting armsthus formed by this cross bar, are pro- I vided with steering reins 34connected'with holes in the bar ends by meansvof snap hooks 35, whilerings 36 mounted in holes nearer to the head serve to connect straps 38which simulate parts of a'bridle. rThe rear ends of the Vstraps 38 aresecured tothe lower ends of pieces 40 which represent the horses ears,these ears being pivoted at 42 above the points p An elastic band 44which is fixed to the back of the head at 45 as by means of a screw ortack is also connected with the lower ends of the respective ears andwith the rear ends of the straps 38, this band serving primarily to tendto return all. parts to normal or straight-ahead position.

in operating the toy, the rider, who is positioned on the seat -S- andpropels the device through pedals 18, steers the horse through themedium of the reins 34 which act through the medium of the bit-formingbar 30 to rotate the-steering post 22 and front wheel 14, the arms ofsaid bar working in the mouth-forming slots 32. As one arm of the bar ispulled rearward by the respective rein 34, the arm and the strap 38 onthe other side of the head are thereby pulled' forward which causes theear 40 on said other side to swing rearward about its pivot 42, the

respective portion of the elastic 'band 44 bey' ing at the same timestretched and placed under tension, while theV other elastic portionremains unaffected by reason ot the xed connection at 45, the strap 38on the untensioned side becoming slack and looping or sagging. 'When thementioned rein is released the elastic portion le which is under tensionwill tend to return all parts to normal position `including therespective ear 40 and the steeringmechanism. Thus as the toy is steeredto rightand left, the ears 40 are Vmoved and the elastic portions 44 arerespectively tensioned to return the ears to normalpositions, and alsoto assist steering straight ahead.

TWhat is claimed is:

l. A toy animal havinga front Wheel and a head, ears movably mounted onsaid head, a steering post Connected with said Wheel to steer thelatter, said steering post being journaled in the headi said head beingslotted to simulate ay mouth, arms Connected With said post t-o aotuatethe same and projecting from the mouth, Connections between said earsand arms `to move the ears when the arms are actuated, and reinsconnected With said arms.

9.. vehicle ot the class described oomprising a body member simulatingan animal having a head, a steering post having a Wheel on its lowerend, the upper end of said post being journalled in theanimals head,arms extending at right Vangles from said post, reins connected to saidarms for turning said post to steer the vehicle, and resilientJ meansConnected to the arms and the animals head to assist return ot thesteering post to normal position.

ln testimony whereof it aiiiXes its signature. LOE ANGELES FEESTNATlONAL TRUST AND SVNGS BANK, Guardian of 72e estate of' Emest S.Mooney.

GEO. W. KENT, Assistant Trust Ocer.

